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Write a User ReviewTooth, Claw, and a Taste of the Wild: Schotia Safaris
Schotia Safaris Private Game Reserve offers a different kind of safari experience in the Eastern Cape, and it’s great for first-time safari-goers or those short on time or budget. Most visitors come for the Tooth and Claw Safari, which combines an afternoon game drive with a traditional South African dinner in a boma. The day begins as everyone arrives in the afternoon, around 3 pm, and is allocated a guide and vehicle. Multiple vehicles depart together, forming a kind of convoy. Unfortunately, this can feel a little regimented as the guides often stop at the same points to give their talks, and you’ll see other vehicles alongside you.
Wildlife viewing is rewarding. During our afternoon drive we saw a beautiful male lion, elephants, rhinos, and a variety of antelope, including the rare sable. There’s a short refreshment stop in a fenced area, after which the drive continues. At the end of the day, all vehicles gather at the boma for a South African braai, complete with
Accommodation is limited, and we stayed in one of the simple but comfortable bush lodges for the night. These aren’t traditional lodges with staff on-site; instead, guests are dropped off at their rooms at night and picked up the next morning, giving a real sense of isolation and immersion.
For the handful of overnight guests, the safari truly comes alive once the day visitors leave. We enjoyed a longer night drive and spotted hippos, springhares bouncing in the spotlight, and even a rare aardvark. With a bottle of wine at our private bush lodge, the evening felt unexpectedly intimate and wild. A morning game drive the next day rounds out the experience.
Wildlife viewing is rewarding. During our afternoon drive we saw a beautiful male lion, elephants, rhinos, and a variety of antelope, including the rare sable. There’s a short refreshment stop in a fenced area, after which the drive continues. At the end of the day, all vehicles gather at the boma for a South African braai, complete with
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live music. Despite the large number of guests – over 150 – the layout of the boma made it feel relaxed.Accommodation is limited, and we stayed in one of the simple but comfortable bush lodges for the night. These aren’t traditional lodges with staff on-site; instead, guests are dropped off at their rooms at night and picked up the next morning, giving a real sense of isolation and immersion.
For the handful of overnight guests, the safari truly comes alive once the day visitors leave. We enjoyed a longer night drive and spotted hippos, springhares bouncing in the spotlight, and even a rare aardvark. With a bottle of wine at our private bush lodge, the evening felt unexpectedly intimate and wild. A morning game drive the next day rounds out the experience.
